A Friend in the Dark is a well written fast-paced thriller. It keeps you guessing until the very end. Eden’s whole life is crumpling and she sends her college crush a friend request. How does he know so much about her?

In the realm of literary intrigue, emerges a captivating enigma that defies conventional storytelling. From the outset, the narrative unfolds with a series of perplexing events that challenge the reader's perception of reality. Yet, amidst the strangeness lies an undeniable allure, a gripping quality that compels one to journey deeper into the unknown.

The author's adept hand at crafting tension and suspense is evident throughout the narrative, as each twist and turn leaves the reader teetering on the edge of their seat. Characters, shrouded in mystery, beckon the reader to unravel their secrets, adding layers of complexity to an already rich tapestry of storytelling.

What truly sets this story apart is its ability to engross and captivate, even in the face of the most bewildering circumstances. While the plot may challenge traditional norms, its hypnotic prose and compelling narrative drive ensure that readers remain invested until the very end.

In a literary landscape crowded with predictable tales, this story stands as a testament to the power of bold storytelling and imaginative prowess. It is a journey that transcends the ordinary, leaving an indelible mark on those who dare to venture into its labyrinthine depths.

Another great mystery from Samantha M. Bailey.

There were so many messed up relationships in this mystery. I loved the ending, I feel like everything ended exactly the way it should, I could not imagine Samantha writing that ending any differently.

I am very much looking forward to reading Samantha's future work. Her mysteries always keep me guessing.

3.25 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for early access to this book.

It’s super hard for me to rate this one. I did like it, and I wanted to keep reading it to find out what was happening. But I really didn’t like any of the characters. They kind of annoyed me.

Eden and her husband are recently separated as their daughter who isn’t taking it well is off to college. One night while all alone Eden stumbles across her old college crush’s profile (Justin) and friend requests him. They immediately start messaging. Things quickly escalate and Eden finds herself doing things she normally wouldn’t be doing
However, weird things keep happening and Justin seems to know way too much about her and her family. Them Eden’s world is turned upside down.

this book definitely leaves you on the edge of your seat but I do feeling like it’s missing substance. The characters just aren’t relatable. I’d recommend it if you want an easy suspense book. But not a must read.

Wow! With A Friend in the Dark, Samantha M. Bailey starts off with bang (literally) and doesn’t let up. This fast-paced thriller had me up late at night racing through, yet wanting to savour, Eden’s online encounters with a sexy man who she fantasized about in high school. What a great premise! Who doesn’t wonder what happened to their teen crush? What if you had a second chance with them later on in life?

Recently separated, her daughter off to college and her parents having passed away not long ago, Eden finds herself lonely and with a need to redefine herself from ‘good girl’ and mother to someone new and exciting. A social media photo prompts her to look up Justin, a ‘bad boy’ she used to tutor and obsess over. When she befriends him, they engage in a steamy online relationship, something Eden never expected she would do.

Things get a bit creepy when Eden realizes that Justin knows more about her than she has told him. Author Bailey builds the suspense as Eden wonders whether Justin has been watching her and she reminisces about the past. Her memory of the one night she actually was invited out by Justin to a high school party is a blur, which she contributes to alcohol. Her husband-to-be, Dave, who had a crush on her, accompanied her home that night and they became a couple. The next day they discovered a friend of theirs was missing after the party and was never found.

When Eden decides she wants to meet Justin in person, things take an unexpected turn. Eden’s strained relationship with her husband and daughter pushes her closer to Justin. Revelations about Dave and his change in behaviour trouble Eden, driving a wedge between them despite their efforts to remain on friendly terms.

Half way through the novel, author Bailey executes a shocking twist you won’t see coming. Enough said. Read the book. And prepare to lose sleep.

Truly wild from beginning to end. I enjoy a thriller that hits the ground running, keeps me guessing, and has excellent twists. This book accomplishes all of that. All of the characters were well-written and fleshed out, and enjoyed how the author wove them all into the story unexpectedly.

Definitely recommend for a quick thriller read.

This book started slow however, once it picked up I couldn't put it down! It has a lot of twists and turns and I loved the ending! it's a quick read and only took a couple of days to finish it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book for my honest review.

I really liked this one. It was a quick read for me only taking a couple of days to finish. It started off really slow so I wasn't sure what to think for a bit. Once it picked up there were so many twists and turns. I couldn't decide who was the bad guy and what was going to happen. I kinda enjoyed that the mc was 45, cause most psychological thrillers are always about younger people. She's recently separated with a daughter who hates her. She's pretty much going through a mid life crisis when her life turns upside down in the worst of ways. Kept me guessing until the end.

Wow, what wild ride! A surprise ending that you wont see coming. This is will not be my last book by this author! What appears to be sweet and innocent, is chuck full of lies and betrayal!

relatively standard but still kept me excited and intrigued throughout! The twists were just twisty enough to satisfy my curiosity thakns for the arc

I thoroughly enjoyed woman on the edge so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately it didn’t get good until about 80 percent in (part 3). But once it did it really took off and finished well.

Everything is falling apart for Eden Miller. Her husband is done with their marriage. Her daughter is off to college and their relationship has never been more strained. Her job is up in the air. She impulsively decides to reconnect with her college crush, Justin. As their flirtation takes off, Eden starts to notice some red flags. Is it just her past baggage coming back to haunt her or is there really something to be concerned about with this new life she's starting?

This book had so many twists and turns! Some of them caught me off guard, but still seemed believable. I loved the pacing and the way the relationships developed throughout the book. Samantha M. Bailey is quickly becoming a must-read thriller write for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of A Friend in the Dark.

A thrilling and chilling thriller Canadian author Samantha M Bailey. Eden had a crush on Justin in college which was several years ago and she reaches out to him to see if they is still something there. But Eden is forced to look into her past further and determine who Justin really is.

This book was pretty cheesy and not a great read, in my opinion. The whole storyline and plot was weak. It was a little bit boring to read. The main character was very stupid and naive. Definitely not one to recommend.

I absolutely disliked the characters in the story and the MC was super naive which drove me crazy.
Expected much more action and deeper character descriptions.

This book grabs you from the start and keeps you totally hooked and entertained throughout. What you think you know you truly don’t.
You will relate to the characters in this book especially Eden. She desperately wants to believe that she can have passionate true love again but she's worried to get hurt if it doesn't work out the way she wants 🤞🏻
She should have listened to herself ... but now it may be too late🤯
I didn’t guess what was going on and I love when a book shocks me 😱
You won't be able to put this book down. I was happy to be glued to my kindle to find out what would happen next! Huge thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

When my boss asks why I am so tired at work, I am blaming Samantha Bailey for writing a book that I COULD NOT PUT DOWN. When Eden's husband asks for a divorce and she drunkenly reaches out to her college crush, down the rabbit hole we go, While I do feel that Eden's actions felt a little bit...teenager/first crushish, the story line developed soooo well and I binged the book. There quite a few plot twists, character growth, and plenty of suspense! Thank you NetGalley for providing me with A Friend in the Dark by Samantha M. Bailey. #AFriendintheDark #NetGalley

A book that will leave you curious to know the ending! First book by the author that I have read and I intend to read more!

This was so good, and I flew through it in a little over a day! I liked Eden, although I went back and forth between feeling sorry for her and being frustrated with her for being oblivious to all the red flags that were flying around! There were so many good twists in this one, and I liked the mystery and suspense.

Thank you, @netgalley, @amazonpublishing, and @sbaileybooks for the #gifted e-arc!

Who among us hasn’t had a moment in life where we felt a bit lost and sought solace in someone from our past? Samantha M. Bailey’s newest psychological thriller A Friend in the Dark explores this very concept with a digital-age twist.

My first thought while reading this book was “Oh, Eden, you sweet summer child…” Eden seems to be on a crash course that she can’t get off of. But let’s back up a bit—how did she get here?

Eden’s life is shattered

Eden Miller is a real estate and mother to a college-aged daughter, Ava. Her husband Dave asked for a divorce a few months before the book starts. Dave and Eden were together since college and have had a wonderful marriage and life together, so Eden was blindsided by the divorce. Dave broke the news to her the day they dropped Ava off at college.

Eden seeks out an old flame

Eden is feeling pretty sorry for herself on her birthday, and after a few too many solo glasses of prosecco she sends a facebook friend request to Justin Ward. Justin is a musician she dated in college and was the first person to shatter her heart, opening the door for nerdy law student Dave to swoop in. Twenty-three years later, Dave will be the one to shatter her heart all over again, so naturally in the wake of that Eden finds herself thinking about Justin.

Eden begins a digital romance

Not only does Justin quickly accept her friend request, but the two begin messaging. The messages quickly turn steamy, and Eden begins to spiral out of control. Is it grief, lust, helplessness, or anger that cause her to act so out of her character with Justin? Perhaps all of them. Either way, Eden slowly begins to wreck her own life. She has phone sex with Justin outside of one of her real estate showings and her boss puts her on leave when a neighbor calls to report it. Not long after, Eden tracks Justin down in person, but he acts like he isn’t sure who she is. He calls right after to apologize, but it was weird…

Eden has a harsh wake up

The leave from work seems to finally awaken Eden from whatever love spell she was living in, because she suddenly starts to think through things in her life. The window that was left open in her house, the spare key that went missing then reappeared a few days later, and the fact that Justin seems to know more about her life than makes sense. Eden searches for answers, but she may not like what she finds…

Review | A Friend in the Dark

This book definitely caught me by surprise. It starts out with the online romance between Eden and Justin, but that escalates quickly and all signs point towards this being a story about Justin becoming obsessed with and stalking Eden. But before the halfway point, the story swerves and it becomes about something more bizarre and twisted (not to imply that stalking an ex isn’t twisted).

The beginning is a bit of a slow burn and that was where I really questioned if Eden was okay. I felt for what she went through with her husband Dave—it sounds like he gave basically no explanation for the sudden divorce. And then as Eden thinks it through, she realizes it may not have been so sudden. Dave already purchased a condo that he moved into the next day, suggesting that he had been planning this for some time.

This lack of answers and closure on a relationship that had dominated over half of Eden’s life is frustrating, to say the least. At the same time, Eden is so naïve and self-destructive. We’ve all done the social media invite after a broken heart and a few too many beverages. Maybe we have even exchanged a few messages with the person, only to ghost them in the light of day when we cringe at our behavior. The problem with Eden is—she never reaches that cringe point because she continues to engage.

To say that Eden quickly becomes obsessed with Justin is an understatement. She can’t stop thinking about him. She shows up to an open house for work and sneaks into the bathroom to send a naughty picture to him. She asks him to call as soon as she leaves. When he calls, she gets intimate with herself in her car outside of the house she was just showing while talking to him. Her company’s name is on the sign in the front yard! I wanted to shake this woman.

In her defense, Justin seems as interested in continuing the connection as she does. But when she identifies and drives to multiple job sites of his construction company to track him down (while she is supposed to be visiting her daughter at college; she does this in Dave’s car while he stays at the dorm with Ava!), things truly begin to get strange. She finds Justin at the last site she drives to. She gets out of her car as if to approach him. Justin squints at her but doesn’t show signs of recognition, then goes inside the house. He calls her to tell her he’s sorry but his wife is inside.

After some explaining, Eden believes him and agrees to continue their romance. But then she hears from her boss that a neighbor saw what she was doing in the car outside of the showing and called to report it. Eden is embarrassed, but not as embarrassed as I think she should be. I would have faked my own death and moved to Canada, but maybe that’s just me! Eden actually isn’t too worried about it (or about the missing key to her home or the window that was mysteriously left open) because she has a date with Justin and she must go shopping for a new outfit.

It's around this point where the first of several swerves comes into play. I have to say that I was grateful for the twists because the first part was good but somewhat forgettable. There is also a second narrator that will enter the book at some point and that really livened things up. I always enjoy when a book uses a second narrator effectively by going back to some events we’ve already seen and offering context or a different perspective.

This is a tense and quick read. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. I will say we eventually get a bit more detail on Dave and why he seemingly divorced Eden out of nowhere and let’s just say Eden was much more forgiving of this behavior than I would be. When it was revealed I thought… really??? And it wasn’t just what caused him to pull out of their marriage, but also his justifying that it was because he was so in love with Eden that he had to do this. I really lost respect for Dave (not for the reason itself, but for divorcing his wife over…talking about it with her first). But then again, I also didn’t have a ton of respect for Eden! Neither did her daughter, Ava, it would seem.

I digress—this is a great, quick thriller to pick up if you’re an Amazon First Reads subscriber or a Kindle Unlimited subscriber! I certainly plan to keep an eye on Samantha M. Bailey’s work after this. I love an easy breezy twisted thriller to get lost in for an afternoon!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for my copy. Opinions are my own.